Where do I even begin? Bangkok. I’ll start there.
In December of this (very recently) past year, 2016, I travelled to Thailand for a 2 week vacation. This turned into three weeks due to my quickly growing love for this Kingdom.
Since I’m interning at a university, students at the uni get a Christmas break & so do I. Lucky me! This break was supposed to start December 21st but since my supervisor is awesome, she let me a few days earlier.
Do I bring this hat? Or don’t I? (I didn’t bring it)
If I haven’t mentioned it already before, my lovely mama & dad live in Bangkok, Thailand. Wicked, right? They relocated here in October 2015 when my dad got a new position for his drilling company. This is the second December in a row that I’ve been able to visit them here. Parents living in Thailand… Who’d have thunk it?
I left Iloilo crazy early Saturday morning (Dec. 17, 2016) and arrived in Bangkok around noon. We didn’t do much the day I arrived since I was a zombie. We DID, however, begin our celebrations by watching a Christmas movie that evening (which I definitely slept through half of).
The next day, dad left for work to supervise a rig move. Mom & I went to Chatuchak *heart eyes*. This is one of my favourite things about Bangkok! There is all kinds of shopping… Everywhere! If you want high end things, there’s tons of that but there is also night markets galore & Chatuchak.
What is Chatuchak you ask?
Narrow walkways, thousands of booths & even more people wandering about.
A giant weekend market. The 15,000+ booths are chaotically organized into 27 sections spreading across 27 acres of Bangkok pavement. This is one of the world’s largest markets. Yes… Chatuchak. You can find everything there. My personal favourite items are those elephant pants that everyone who’s ever been to Asia has most likely purchased, as well as other clothes and little knick knacks for friends back home! Also… Birkenstock look alike’s for 300THB (that’s about $11 – don’t last as long, but totally worth it). There is art, furniture, food, jewelry and the list goes on forever!
You must go! I will warn you, it’s a bit overwhelming. Huge crowds & narrow walkways. Don’t be crazy and try to spend a full day there, that’s too much shopping. Even for me. A couple hours (maybe) will suffice. Be sure to practice your bargaining skills beforehand!
After mom & I took a little trip to Chiang Mai (read about THIS awesomeness in my Thailand: Part 2 post – coming soon!), we came back to Bangkok for some more Christmas movie watching, baking and lots of eating.
Christmas lights with mama at Central World in Bangkok! (Take the BTS toward Mo Chit & get off at Chit Loem)
The thing that amazes me the most about Bangkok, is that you never know where the actual ground is… Especially if you’re in the mall using the escalators and elevators. The “main” floor often isn’t the ground floor. Any window you look out of has elevated walkways right outside. Makes it very confusing to know where you are in the vertical world of this city.
Mama & I went to church for Christmas Eve & came home for cider’s, snacks and Miracle on 34th Street… So grateful I was able to spend Christmas with her.
I love Bangkok… I would never have thought I’d love it. I’m a beach bum SCUBA diver that can hardly stand being away from the ocean nowadays. BUT. Bangkok is pretty rad. I am so beyond lucky to now have a home base here… My mama & dad will be here for a few more years, so you can bet I’ll be back again & again.. & again.
P.S. My all time favourite Thai food is mango & sticky rice… If you ever head this way, this should be the first thing you try to find. Maybe dessert after Pad Thai? *heart eyes*
Mango & sticky rice with coconut pudding…. AMAZING
